1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a ruled line generating apparatus for use in a printer, a word processor with a printer, or the like, and a sheet for use in such a ruled sheet generating apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Printers are widely used for printing data from word processors, personal computers, or the like on sheets of paper.
Generally, the printers can be used in two different print modes. In one print mode, data generated and displayed on a display unit is simply printed on a blank sheet of paper by the printer. In the other print mode, a ruled sheet of paper with cells defined as a table by the lines thereon is set in the printer, and data generated and displayed on a display unit is printed in the cells by the printer while the printer carriage is moved under the control of a keyboard or the like so that the desired data can snugly fit in the cells.
The former print mode poses no substantial problem with respect to the positioning of the data on the blank sheet. In the latter print mode, however, it is difficult to position the data generated on the display unit properly in the desired cells on the ruled sheet, and the display unit is unable to display the table cells defined on the ruled sheet.
One solution is for the user to determine and set margins for respective print positions in those cells which are to contain desired data. However, the user will find it tedious and time-consuming to determine and set margins for respective print positions in the cells.
According to another solution, a table is generated on a display unit using a keyboard, or an existing table is read by an image reader, and the table data is stored in a floppy disk, a memory card, or other suitable storage medium. When it is necessary to print a table, the stored table data is read and displayed on the display unit, and desired data is typewritten in cells of the displayed table using the keyboard. Thereafter, the data and the table which are displayed on the display unit are printed on a sheet of paper by a printer. However, it is also cumbersome for the user to generate a table on the display unit with the keyboard or to read an existing table with the image reader. Particularly, if the image reader is used, the entire system required is comparatively expensive. Storing table data into the floppy disk, the memory card, or the like requires the user to handle the storage medium, which is however something extra and undesirable for the user who simply wants to print desired data in a table on a sheet of paper.